Multi-addiction

With more than 4.3 million drug addicts needing rehabilitation in Kenya, China has invested over $400 million to construct 40 additional drug rehabilitation centers in the country, according to the Kenya’s National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA), a government agency. Construction of the 40 centers is expected to begin in early August.

According to NACADA’S recently appointed chairman, Julius Githiri, the situation is dire, especially in the Kenyan coastal region.

“This figure [of drug addicts] represents mainly the youth, especially people under the age of 35,” he said adding that China’s help is invaluable.

“The most abused drugs include heroin, cocaine, morphine, illegally brewed alcohol and opium,” said Githiri. Kenya is ranked high in terms of drug abuse, along with its West African counterparts. Equatorial Guinea, Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, Mali, and Cote d’ivoire have similar problems.

NACADA has also said that Kenya is a trafficking hub due to its geographic location rather than a consumer country, pointing out however that the country is increasingly becoming more of an end-user.

According to Professor Germano Mwabu, a World Bank consultant economist, drug abuse costs the Kenyan economy $11.8 billion per year in terms of labor lost.

“This is not a small figure and it is serious. This money can go into creating more employment. It is just lost down the drain. This is how much profit is lost to companies not including the revenue,” said Professor Mwabu.

Monitoring drug trafficking also has its challenges. According to Sergeant John Omondi, Spokesperson of Anti-narcotics Police Unit at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, the situation is dire. He said every month an average of 100 arrests are made involving drug trafficking.

“About 5 tons of illegal drugs are trafficked across our airports and seaports almost on a monthly basis,” he said, adding that the biggest drug consignments are heroin and cocaine.